My dream has always been to become a model – Jean Claude Ndayishimiye

The first thing you notice about Jean Claude Ndayishimiye is that he is startlingly handsome and quite shy, which is endearing. Although this is not what one would expect from a man who shot to fame by cavorting around on the runway. With an illustrious career in the modeling industry for over 12 years, the multi‐talented Ndayishimiye is among the country’s leading male models. In 2010, he launched his own model agency called Rwanda Premier Model Agency, which is currently the leading force that provides the platform for youths to unleash their modeling passion. Last year, the 30-year-old model/journalist, organised the first national modeling competition to raise awareness and understanding of fashion in the country. The winner received Rwf1 million, among other prizes. The New Times’ Susan Babijja caught up with husband and father of one to speak about his passion for modeling, challenges in the industry as well as his future plans. The excerpts:Where do you start and how do you get your foot inside the door of the modeling industry?My dream has always been to become a model. I started my modeling career here in Rwanda at the age of 18 after I was encouraged by my sister, who was a model at the time. Later, I was signed to different local agencies, including Dadmax Agency, which introduced me to fame.Why did you decide to start your own modeling agency?I wanted to contribute to the development of Rwanda’s budding modeling industry and to provide the platform for young aspiring models to make the most of their talent.What do you have to say about the state of this industry?Well, we find problems convincing parents to let their children pursue a career in modeling. Some parents still have negative perceptions about modeling because they think that modeling is against our culture, which is not true. What message do you have for such parents? They should know the roles modeling play in society, such as advertising products.How do you plan to overcome the challenges you face in the industry?I believe it’s a matter of encouraging my models to be disciplined as this will prove to their parents that modeling has got nothing to do with bad behavior.

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My dream has always been to become a model – Jean Claude Ndayishimiye